Author(s)

E. Tekeli, F. A. Turer Baskaya

Abstract

With a history dating back to 6000 BC, Istanbul has always been a significant city, standing on two continents separated by a strait called Bosphorus. Istanbul is a dynamic and ever-changing city which brings about rapid changes on historical green network. As one of the most important components of this green network, historical groves are open to overwhelming changes. The rapid urbanization and differentiation of land-use have yielded adverse impacts on the identity of the Bosphorus and historical landscape features. Due to the deficiencies in the management of heritage landscapes, alterations within the green network emerge which are not only spatial but also conceptional. Within that context, the questions that guide this paper are: What is the meaning of ‘grove’ for Istanbul? What are the spatiotemporal changes related with these groves within the Bosphorus area? What should be the sustainable landscape planning strategies for these green heritages? Seeking answers to these questions, this paper examines spatiotemporal changes throughout the Ottoman times to today, benefitting from various Ottoman maps dating back to 1764. In order to gain a multi-layered understanding, this paper supports these map-based studies with credible literatures and field study. Reading the interplay between green heritage, historical coastal areas, urban development, and sustainable landscape planning reveals the prospected landscape planning strategies for the green heritages of Istanbul. This paper is an attempt to notice landscape planning strategies for urban green heritages and encourage further studies not only for the benefit of Istanbul, but also for the other dynamic mega cities.

Keywords

historical groves, green heritage, Bosphorus, landscape planning